Playing For Keeps
by Jaspre
Summary: The Doctor meets Jackie and Rose Tyler before he actually *meets* the breathtaking blonde and her fire-breathing dragon of a mother. From the meeting is born a game only he knows he's playing, but Jackie still wins the final round. Or the story of how the Doctor had way too much fun messing with Jackie's head and she unknowingly gets him back in the end.
**SLAP!**

The Doctor wheeled around in a complete circle and clutched his throbbing cheek, incredulously staring down at the pissed off blonde in front of him.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"Rose told me what you did, you worthless lump of-"

"Hey, lady," he interrupted. "I don't know who the bloody hell you or this Rose are! And ya can't go 'round slapping people for kicks. That bloody well hurt."

"I'm Jackie." The blonde's eyes narrowed. "You don't know me?"

"Not even a little."

"Or Rose? Blonde, too. Beautiful. Hangs off your every word. No?"

"Ah, no, but I think I know what's going on. Is she a future companion? Concubine? Fri-"

SLAP!

"Don't you ever refer to my daughter as your concubine!"

"Oh, so she's your daughter." His cheek throbbing now, the Doctor's eyes swept over her. "I certainly hope she didn't inherit your looks." He ducked out of the way and shook a finger. "Ah, ah. None of that now. I'm getting tired of you smacking me, you crazy bint. Is that it, then? Did I shag her or something?"

"Mum! What're you doing talking to him? What did you say to him?"

The Doctor turned and appraised the frankly gorgeous blonde vision running towards him and this other woman. Now that... that was someone he wouldn't mind knowing, someone he wouldn't mind getting behind when needed.

Or getting below. Above. Whatever. He wasn't picky.

"He doesn't know you."

"That's 'cause that one hasn't met me yet," the young woman- Rose apparently- said. "My- our Doctor's 'round the corner and has an earful for ya when you're done berating this one. You're lucky we happened upon you 'fore you could cause serious damage."

"You're Rose, then?"

"Oh, um." The ephemeral being bit her lip. Enticingly, he might add. "You have to forget you met me. It'll disturb the timelines if you meet me too early, Doctor."

His brows lifted. "Ooh, you're intelligent to boot."

"Rose!" his own voice boomed around the corner. "We have to go."

"I'm right, you know," he agreed. "Shame, though. You're breathtaking. Wouldn't mind getting to know you."

His future whatever-she-will-be blushed vibrantly and grabbed her mother's arm.

"We have to go. Carry on, Doctor."

He watched the two women run off, his gaze lingering on the younger's bottom. Yes, she was absolutely perfect. Smelled delicious, too. He felt a momentary pang of jealousy for his future self and then grinned.

Payback.

"Oh, Jackie," he called out. Both women turned to him and the Doctor's grin widened. "I'll make sure I take _great_ care of her in future, if you catch my drift."

Rose dragged the sputtering woman around the corner and, moments before entering his beloved TARDIS, he heard her begin to screech indignantly.

Oh, that was definitely worth whatever trouble he was going to face in the future.

"You!"

The Doctor was sure he could only manage that one word at this point. Rose really was his Rose, wasn't she? No wonder she had seemed so familiar when he found her in Henrik's basement... He stared, bug-eyed, at the woman he remembered was called Jackie and then glanced at Rose.

Damn his driving. Twelve months, twelve hours. Time travel was tricky at the best of times and he wanted to tell the officer that, but the look on Rose's face made him feel certain he shouldn't even mention it in passing.

"Stitch this, mate!"

SLAP!

For the third time in his life, he was too slow to avoid the Jackie Tyler palm currently connecting with his cheek.

He really needed to work on that.

"Mum, please."

The Doctor could only helplessly watch Jackie and Rose disappear into the kitchen. It again hit him that this was the same Rose that the blonde tyrant in his past had once led him to believe he'd slept with. Maybe. Oh, why hadn't he asked her to clarify what he'd done to her? Because he was being a cocky, irritating prat like always, that's why.

He decided to move towards the kitchen to spy on what might one day be a very important part of his life. Rose, that is, not the old bag of bones in a track suit.

Oh, he quite liked that nickname. He laughed under his breath and crept close to the kitchen door.

"Do you know, what terrifies me is that you still can't say. What happened to you, Rose? What can be so bad that you can't tell me, sweetheart? Where were you?"

"I... Well, I'm back now, right? Does it matter?"

The Doctor tuned out the rest of their conversation, suddenly feeling a very bad case of guilt. Much as he knew he'd hate it, Jackie Tyler was a very important part of his Rose's life. He'd upset Rose by upsetting Jackie. Course, he hadn't meant to, but still.

How was he to correct that?

He decided to take a walk to clear his mind. He had to do something to make things right between Rose and her mother, if for no other reason than to make Rose smile again. He didn't like her being unhappy. Made his insides feel tight and uneasy, which was a novel feeling to be sure.

When he returned from his walk, he found Rose sitting on the roof and joined her. They naturally began discussing everything and the Doctor felt a sense of foreboding grow in his belly. He really didn't want to ask, but...

"Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?"

"I don't know. I can't do that to her again, though."

"Well, she's not coming with us."

Yes, that much was certain. He would never let Jackie Tyler on his ship. Ugh. Just the thought...

He was sure finding out he was nine hundred years old would have intimidated this little human of his, since humans usually have the life span of a gnat and anything that wasn't "normal" to them was simply too different to handle, but Rose barely blinked. Indeed, her response made him think she'd been thinking of the two of them...

But no. That was ridiculous, because his Rose had a cowardly idiot of a boyfriend waiting for her. Ricky or something like that. The _boy_ barely had any bravery or brains to speak of, was too clingy by half (and that opinion was made the _first time_ he met him), and he probably had horrible breath. Stinky, repellent, nauseating breath. Likely had bad body odour, too.

Rose could do so much better.

But he didn't have time to stew too long about how unworthy that little wanker was. The Slitheen needed to be defeated. Decisions were made, Rose was brilliant, and they saved the world. Of course they did. He and Rose, the two of them, made a great team.

Then, ugh, Jackie tried destroying his life. And no, he wasn't being dramatic. He was being very literal about that. Jackie Tyler had it out for him.

That damned phone call.

"It's just tea."

"Not to me it isn't."

If Rose only knew what their future may include, she might not be trying to foist tea on him. It was too intimate for him, too suffocating, too close to Jackie.

"She's my mother."

"Well, she's not mine."

And that was that. No matter what may come to happen, he wasn't about to jump head-first into anything so disgustingly domestic. Also, there's no way in the name of Rassilon that anybody, even Rose, could convince him to willingly spend more time with Jackie Friggin' Tyler.

None. He'd put his foot down and that was it.

He couldn't believe that little spineless prick dared to kiss Rose, as if he was worthy enough. Pah. The Doctor looked down on his monitor and just caught the tail end of what Jackie was saying.

"Ten seconds."

The TARDIS quickly rematerialized and he threw the door open, startling Jackie enough to make her jump and turn to them.

"Oh, and Jackie," he called. "I'll make sure I take _great_ care of her in future, if you catch my drift."

She didn't- couldn't possibly- know yet what those words would one day mean, but he still enjoyed the suspicious look on her face. He threw the door closed with an amused bark of laughter and spun to Rose.

"Ready?"

Rose cocked a brow. "Concubine?"

"Well, it's the first word that came to mind." The Doctor grimaced. "Sorry. Anyways, right about now-"

 **SLAP!**

"She slapped you!" Rose looked horrified and then started giggling. He loved that sound. "That's not even you. Now you, that is."

"Correct."

"Don't you ever refer to my daughter as your concubine!"

"Oh, so she's your daughter. I certainly hope she didn't inherit your looks."

"You are so mean," Rose muttered and the Doctor crowded in behind her. "My mum's not ugly."

"Shh."

"Ah, ah. None of that now. I'm getting tired of you smacking me, you crazy bint. Is that it, then? Did I shag her or something?"

"You were sorta close. What am I supposed to say?"

"One little victory snog in the TARDIS, a little slip to your mother, and I'm being attacked. It's ridiculous. Now run. Just say what comes to mind."

Rose disappeared around the corner.

"Mum! What're you doing talking to him? What all did you say to him?"

The Doctor couldn't risk his future self seeing him so he used a nearby car's side mirror to watch the goings-on. The letch- er, he, that is... how odd- was eyeing Rose up and down. Jackie looked confused and he snorted. Stupid bint.

"He doesn't know you."

"That's 'cause that one hasn't met me yet. My- our Doctor's 'round the corner-" He positively beamed at that. Hers, was he? He'd forgotten that bit. "And has an earful for ya when you're done berating this one. You're lucky we happened upon you 'fore you could cause serious damage."

"You're Rose, then?"

"Oh, um. You have to forget you met me. It'll disturb the timelines if you meet me too early, Doctor."

Good girl.

"Ooh, you're intelligent to boot."

"Rose!" he called, right on time. "We have to go."

"I'm right, you know. Shame, though. You're breathtaking. Wouldn't mind getting to know you."

Oh, gods. He groaned aloud and hoped Rose wouldn't pay too much attention to that. Or maybe... No. Just a little snog. She wasn't ready for anything more just yet.

"We have to go. Carry on, Doctor."

Or maybe.

Just maybe.

Would Rose be interested in... Granted, it'd be a little different than what she was used to, but he guaranteed she'd love it. Why wouldn't she? One Time Lord with nine hundred years of- okay, to a human of only, what, nineteen? Yeah, that'd sound bad. Point is, though, he had a lot of experience- oh, that sounded bad, too.

Suffice it to say she'd love it. A lot.

"Oh, Jackie." There was a brief pause and he grinned widely, knowing what was coming. "I'll make sure I take _great_ care of her in future, if you catch my drift."

He sniggered. He couldn't wait to see Jackie's face, to see the realization dawning on her that he'd known this would happen long before he'd met them, maybe see a little anger.

Turns out her expression was much more outraged than he'd imagined.

"You bloody disgusting, ancient, perverted, cradle-snatching alien! You were planning to seduce her all along, weren't you?"

"Now why would I do that, Jackie?" he asked calmly. "I didn't even know her then."

Rose tittered.

"You don't touch her or-"

"Or?" He childishly poked Rose in the arm and grinned while successfully dodging Jackie's fist. Hmm. No slap this time. "Oh, too slow."

"I hate you."

"Ah, well." The Doctor swiftly scooped Rose up, tossed her over his shoulder, and grabbed her bottom with one hand to hold her steady. He pointed at Rose with his other hand. "Mine now. Bye, bye."

He waved and then took off.

Caveman antics always made Rose laugh so it was worth putting on a show just to irritate Jackie and hear that beautiful laughter, even if he did have to sprint twelve blocks with Rose over his shoulder to escape the irate blonde chasing after him. Though, luckily, Rose managed to slide down enough to clamp her legs around his waist and put her arms around his neck. It made his run time so much faster and she was laughing the entire way, which was definitely worth it.

Oh, and she felt perfect pressed against him like that.

He didn't even particularly mind when Jackie pushed him backwards and he landed hard on the TARDIS grating, because then his hands had a reason to grasp at Rose's hips as her belly and hips slipped up his chest and pressed against his face, smothering him for a moment.

The best part? Her sitting up enough so he could breathe, her hips and thighs pressed to his chest and shoulders, and their eyes meeting. Could do that more often, yeah.

Rose blushed at him and he poked her ribs, setting her off wriggling around above him and giggling like she couldn't stop. Gods, she smelled so damned good. Nope. He didn't mind any of this at all.

Especially since it sent Jackie off once again.

He laughed darkly. It _was_ worth the trouble, after all.

Okay, in retrospect, he should have known. He'd been travelling with Rose Marion Tyler- his beautiful, beloved, perfect Rose- for long enough that he really should have known. This was his fault. Everything was.

He should have known Rose wouldn't simply return to Earth and let the TARDIS die without trying every possible thing she could think of to return to him. He should have known she'd reject his new form before even knowing what had happened. He should have known something would endanger her while he was healing.

Now, freshly regenerated and feeling the sting of Rose's abandonment and utter hesitancy (not to mention the oddly comforting- yet totally creepy crawly- feeling of knowing that Jackie Tyler had been worrying about him), he could only try to save the world again. Partly because that's what they did and partly to convince Rose he was still himself.

In the end, he saved the day and got the girl. Well, he didn't have her quite yet, but he was tired of waiting. He'd have her if it was the last thing he did. That was all well and good. Yeah, he couldn't wait to get started on wooing Rose or whatever humans called it, but he was content for now to wait. She was at his side. That's all that mattered.

Frustratingly enough, though, nothing he did seemed to irritate Jackie Tyler. Was it the face? The new personality? He sent a pointed look Jackie's way and then looked at Rose.

"Oh, I'd love you to come."

Not so much as a blink from the woman who once threatened to feed him his own bits and bobs if he so much as considered _thinking_ of Rose in any inappropriate way. How irritating. Was that her game now? Playing it cool to drive him mad? Or did he look young enough now that she wasn't too troubled?

Ooh, she's good. He'd go mad before he figured it out. Perhaps that was her intention. They were heading back inside the flat when he realized something.

"Hold a moment. I remember something from when I was out."

Rose frowned. "What?"

"I remember..." The Doctor turned accusing eyes to Jackie. "You, Jackie Tyler, asking what else I had two of. For shame."

"It was a good question. I mean, there's gotta be a reason Rose likes you so much. And if you can have two hearts..."

Rose's jaw dropped and he felt his lips curl in unwilling amusement.

"Hmm. I suppose you'll never know. Rose assuredly knows, though. Hmm. Oh! Haha." Everyone gave him odd looks and he grimaced. "I'm sorry. It's gonna take time for everyone to get used to the personality. But rude! Yes, Rose, turns out I am rude this time 'round. Incredibly rude." He winked at her and glanced at Jackie. "If you know what I mean."

Finally! A reaction from the blonde harpy.

While Rose was blushing and biting her lip, peeking at him through her lashes and inspiring some wonderfully manly thoughts, Jackie Tyler stomped away from them and slammed the front door of her flat. He grinned at the closed door, pressed a rough kiss to Rose's forehead, and tugged her the rest of the way upstairs.

Oh, yes, he still had it.

"Rose Tyler, you're brilliant!" The Doctor hauled Rose off the ground and spun her around in a circle, cherishing her precious laughter. There was a time not too long ago that he thought he'd never hear it again. "That's perfect. We'll simply-"

"Ahem."

With Rose still pressed against his chest in a tight hug, he turned them both to see the woman staring at them from the doorway. Rather than loosening, Rose's arms tightened about his neck and ruffled the back of his hair. The Doctor, enjoying the way her feet dangled off the floor and how their groins aligned so perfectly, grinned cheerfully at her mother.

"Yes?"

"And what, may I ask, are you doing to my daughter, you alien pervert?"

"Uh, he's hugging me."

"Yeah? Then why's his hand on your bum, huh? Don't look like a hug to me."

He and Rose exchanged a quick glance and then he slowly set Rose back on her feet.

"It was just a hug."

"I wasn't aware my hand was anywhere inappropriate. See, just now, our girl reminded me-"

"Our girl? What sorta cradle-snatching creep are you? You're hundreds of years older than her!"

The Doctor nodded seriously and noted Rose's confused look.

"Ah, that's so true. I'm closer to your age, after all. What is it, two, three hundred years off?" Jackie Tyler tossed a glare his way, scowled at Rose's abrupt giggling, and stomped out of the kitchen. The Doctor grinned down at Rose, his hand tucking her hair behind an ear. "Honestly, that woman. Ready to pick up dinner, then?"

"Glad I thought of it. We both know Mum can't cook."

"And surprising her with dinner ensures she doesn't poison either of us. As I said, you're brilliant."

Rose giggled, grabbed his hand, and led him from the flat.

"Jacqueline."

"You can't always be treating my daughter like this! She's not some little toy you can play with a while and then-"

"Mum, he's not-"

"Suzanne..."

"And for another thing-"

"No, Suzette, wasn't it?" the Doctor murmured just quietly enough for Jackie to hear. "Or _was_ it Suzanne? I've forgotten."

"What did you just call me?"

The Doctor smirked. "Nothing, Jackie. Now what were you saying about Rose?"

"You called me something," Jackie accused. "What did you call me? Why did you call me that?"

"Have no idea what you're talking about. What about Rose?"

"I don't even remember. Where did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" He leaned forward, doing his best to look terribly concerned. "Jackie, are you okay?"

"Quit messing with her," Rose muttered. "'s not nice."

"Don't know what you're talking about, pretty girl." He smiled widely. "'Sides, now your mum isn't going on about my apparently insatiable appetites. Imagine, me defiling you upon every inch of the TARDIS."

He was almost positive he didn't imagine Rose's breath catching. Time Lord, him. He noticed lots of things. And now that was interesting. He looked at her appraisingly and picked up a few indicators of attraction. Either she was attracted to the... creation... Jackie had made for tea or she was attracted to him. Hmm. That was rather promising, but what to do about it?

"Are you even listening to me or are you too busy ogling my daughter?"

"Sorry 'bout that. Never mind me. What did I miss?"

"I was asking how long you two would be here. Maybe we could have a nice dinner tonight."

"Oh, will we be eating out, then?"

"You piece of-"

"Mum!"

"Leave me alone."

"Rose, will you speak to me? Lemme in. Please." He tried the door knob and scowled at the wall when he realized the door was locked. "Are you sulking in there?"

"No."

"I think you're sulking. Your voice sounded pouty."

"Go away. You're the last person I want to talk to right now."

The Doctor rubbed his right heart and frowned.

"Rose, we've talked about this. Please. Let me in."

"Go. Away. I don't want to talk about anything." Her voice lowered, though he has no idea why she did it. He could still hear perfectly. "Did you add the bubbles?"

"Yes."

That voice. One word. He swore his blood ran cold. Mickey was in her bedroom?

"Rose."

"Doctor, seriously, go tinker or do whatever. I'm not in the mood to do anything, say anything, or go anywhere. Just go."

"This is getting ridiculous. You're upset about earlier? Let it go. Please."

"Oh, no. Not just earlier. Everything. All of them. You, Doctor, are a womanizing pig."

"Now Rose-"

"And that's fine, really, because you're really old and you're bound to have been around _a lot_. Fine, cool, but I don't want to be a part of this thing between us anymore."

That's just the thing, though. They didn't have a thing! She pulled him in, pushed him away, over and over, and he still didn't know what she wanted! It was maddening.

"Rose, please. Open the door so we can talk."

"I'm taking a bath and then we can head out for another adventure. You never did take me to Barcelona, you know."

There was hammering on the TARDIS doors and the Doctor had a feeling he knew who was on the other side. She must have called _her mother_. He put his hand on Rose's door.

"Rose, I've already told you I just wanted her to come with us for a little bit. The whole thing wasn't the way you're thinking it was."

And why was he explaining himself?

"You smelled like her and even Mickey could tell you at least snogged her. Probably more. She was pretty enough for your standards."

"You snogged Adam. And then there was Mickey the entire time. Oh, and we can't forget Jack. Am I not allowed to have fun once?" Something hard connected against the other side of Rose's door and the Doctor winced. "Sorry that upset you, but... Rose, what is expected of me? I've no clue what you want. How do I act without knowing what you expect from me?"

There. He put himself out there.

A voice muttered, "God, he's the idiot."

"I heard that, Mickey." The two in her room froze. "Yep. I can hear. You're not moving at all. Oh, well, now someone- Mickey, sounds like- is waffling between running for the wardrobe door across the room and the bathroom door nearer me. Running in place now, are we?" He heard a muffled, very feminine chuckle and his mood brightened. "Rose?"

"Fine." She sighed. "Come in."

He stepped inside and looked around. Mickey was gone.

"Quick little bugger, isn't he?"

"You were saying?"

"In case you haven't noticed, you're an alien, Rose. I don't know what to expect when it comes to... us. Is there an us? I can't ever be sure, because you act like you want me one day and then... What are we?"

"Do we have a relationship, then? Like an actual one? Is that what you actually want?"

Her eyes met his and he tamped down the impulse to run far, far away from this conversation. There was something almost like... hope... in her eyes. It made him feel a bit braver than moments before.

"I'd hoped so, yes, but... You haven't... with anyone... lately?"

She shook her head. "You?"

"Nope. Well, with the exception of a snog. Only a snog."

"So you... you'd want that... with me?"

He smiled eagerly. "Oh, very much."

"But not just the sexy bits, right?"

"Those, too, yes." She smiled a little, small and shy, and his gut tightened. She was perfect. "I want everything, Rose. Can you live with that for the next, oh, twenty, thirty, fifty, seventy, or more years? Your choice, of course."

That was perhaps as close as he could ever come to really telling her. He hoped she understood what he was saying. She laughed shakily and he thought she might at least suspect.

"Definitely."

"I knew it. Well, I thought so at first, but then you started acting distant and-"

"I could never get a read on you," she interrupted. "One day, you'd be stuck to my side like glue and starin' at me for no reason and the next day, you'd make sure Mickey was always around and actin' like a chaperone of somethin' like that.

"That's only because you'd seem to withdraw into yourself and I thought it was my fault, though I could never figure- Right, no, I don't wanna think about that. Anyways. What should I expect now?"

"Well, snogging other people is out of the question. As is the other stuff." She looked down at her bedspread, picking at a loose string and very obviously avoiding his eyes. "I'm afraid it's all or nothing with me."

"To clarify, you're talking about the kind of stuff that would turn your mother's hair white if she caught us doing said stuff?"

"Yeah."

"Ah. Well, that's what I'd hoped. Only with you, then."

"Really?"

"Yes. How long..." He eyed her out of his periphery, seemingly focused on her vanity table. "How long have you thought we were maybe already...?"

"Since before..."

"Since my last form?" he asked, spinning around to stare at her in surprise. "Really? That long?"

"Yeah." She fidgeted. "It was the little things. I don't know. I guess I was wrong- obviously, since you didn't think... you know- and maybe it was just wishful thinking." She licked her lips. "You?"

"Not that long," he admitted and she nodded, staring at her hands. "But I've wanted you since before I ever actually knew you."

Her eyes darted to his and they started laughing, both clearly remembering that little mix-up of her mother's. That seemed so very long ago. He held his arms out and she hurried into them, wrapping herself tightly around him and sending little shoots of happiness and desire coursing through him.

"I guess I can deal with that."

"Yeah? Good."

He leaned down, she stood on tiptoes, and... Her lips tasted like salty tears and vanilla gloss, an odd combination. He could do without the tears next time, but it was still absolutely perfect.

Their kiss was interrupted much too soon. The door swung open and smacked a bit too hard, too purposefully if he was being honest, into his shoulder. He careened forward, clutching at Rose's hips to stay balanced, and then turned to see Jackie Tyler scowling magnificently.

It could've scared the pants off a Dalek... well, if Daleks were to wear pants. Certainly worried him.

"Hello, Jackie."

"I see ya made up," she commented tightly. "And pawin' at my daughter's a part of that, huh?"

"I wasn't exactly pawing at her."

"Seems to me ya don't have the right-"

"Mum, it's fine. He and I are- you know."

Her smile was blinding and he lost himself in it for a moment before remembering they had an audience. Jackie looked sick and he chuckled quietly. He'd consider this a win.

God bless you, Rose Tyler.

She was a woman after his own hearts.

Disregarding the three randomly and incorrectly fastened buttons on his shirt, he hurriedly finished tucking said shirt into his trousers and tried his best to ignore the rough carpeting under his bare toes.

He'd messed up big this time and he knew it.

"You're not gonna slap me again, are you?"

"...No."

He and Jackie stared at each other, her last confused-sounding response seemingly echoing in the quiet of her living room. His brows quirked down, betraying his own confusion and nervousness, and he crossed his arms.

"Well, why not?"

"Do you want me to?"

She had a point. He didn't exactly want to be smacked, but something wasn't adding up here.

"But you just caught us in bed together. Sure, Rose is sleeping now, but you must have known what we'd done..." He frowned and added a touch disappointedly, "And your hair's not white. Pity."

"I know."

What on Earth? She wasn't making sense. Where was the shouting, the threatening, the violence and possibly missing dangly bits? Was she in shock? His lips pulled down into what felt like a frown of magnificent proportions as he backed up from her. Mothers- well, this one- scared the Hades out of him sometimes. Was she about to snap?

"And you're not going to say or do anything?"

"What is there to say?" she asked, wearing a helpless expression, looking a bit lost. He kept staring and hesitantly shrugged. "You love her?"

That's something he had only admitted to himself thus far. He hadn't even told Rose yet so he couldn't very well tell her mother before he found a way to tell his human, his lover, his companion... his woman. It wasn't right. He sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it.

"I once gave my life for her and I would do it again and again, if need be. She's my Rose."

Well, that was sufficient. Jackie seemed to understand what he was saying, at least.

"Alright. You're gonna keep takin' care of her?"

"Until her last breath a hundred years from now."

Hopefully she had that long. He could find a way to prolong her life, right? A genius, he is. Shouldn't be too hard.

"Her one hundred years?" she checked. "Not yours?"

"Until her last breath, whenever that is."

"She loves you, you know." She pinned him in place with a hard look and he nodded, though that was news to him. She'd never said... Jackie's face abruptly fell. "And it's... safe... for her? It won't hurt her?"

"In all ways. The lot of us were sterile back in the day and it wasn't unheard of for our race to become intimate with humans from time to time, though it wasn't something many mentioned. Nobody ever got hurt."

"And now? You still sterile?"

"Well, ehm, I assume so."

"What's that s'posed to mean? Either you are or you're not. You are, good. You're not, better take care of things, if that's even possible with alien parts." Her brows furrowed and he made a face, fighting the urge to vomit. Jackie Tyler talking about his bits? Just wrong. "So what is it?"

"Thing is, we were cursed long ago, Jackie, but they're all gone now. I'm not too sure the curse is still active or not. Never really given myself the time or opportunity to test it." He dodged away from her and held up a hand, the other clenching around the back of the sofa, ready to catapult over it if Jackie somehow managed to get too close. "Not that I am testing it. Just listen to me a moment! I'm not trying or anything. Neither of us are. I just meant it's been a while and I haven't done this sort of thing since the end of the war so I don't know what to expect. That's all I meant. I swear it."

"Good." She relaxed. "Good, 'cause my Rose is still so young and she doesn't need to be havin' any babies yet, if that's even possible with you. Okay? Just... take care of her until then."

He rapidly blinked, more thrown than he'd been in a long while. She didn't need to be having any babies _yet_? If that was even possible with _him_? Just take care of her _until then_?

"Uh, I-I- That w-won't be t-t-too-" He tugged his fingers through his hair, yanking at the roots to calm himself, and nodded. "I, er, ow, yes. Yes, I'll take care of her, Jackie."

Hands lowering, his brows pulled down and he simply stared at her, waiting for some cue. He wasn't quite sure what was happening here anymore.

Was this a Jackie Tyler version of a blessing?

"See that you do, Doctor, and... don't let her know we had this conversation." She studied him a long moment and then turned, heading back to her room. She paused at her door and spoke again, facing away from him. "You once told me- twice, actually- that you'd take great care of her, Doctor. I know you were being a pervert then, but... Just remember those words, will ya? For the future."

"Course, Jackie."

She nodded and he collapsed onto the couch.

Just when he thought he had that woman figured out and was sure he could anticipate her reactions, she went and did something like this.

Huh. Consider that a win for yourself, Jackie Tyler.

He missed her.

No, not Rose. Well, actually, yes. Rose, too. She was sleeping and she really did sleep too much these days, though he supposed it wasn't her fault. He levered up on an elbow and stared at the blonde beauty in his bed.

It had been almost a full year since the nightmare had ended and Rose had finally come back to him. That time between losing her at Canary Wharf and having her return had been a dark period for him. He'd been a half-shell of a man, nearly as dark and cruel as he'd been before Rose had wormed her way into his life by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, wandering around in the basement of a department store that he'd planned to blow up. He honestly cannot grasp why anyone put up with him during that time.

Gods, he'd never been happier in his life than when he'd turned and saw Rose standing down the street, beaming at him. He'd willingly run from Donna, not even surprised when their little romantic scene was cut short by a damned Dalek. That was their luck, wasn't it?

But now Rose was back to stay... for life. His life. See, he knew he'd find a way to prolong her life. He simply had no idea his own regenerative energy plus remnant vortex energy within Rose's body would combine to create... whatever Rose was now. Sure, he'd seen the creation of a metacrisis in the timelines, but Rose had changed all of that... and herself.

So now there's her.

Not that he was complaining. Oh, no. He'd never do that. He kept expecting to wake up from a rare sleep and find that Rose never came back, that Jackie wasn't permanently trapped in another dimension, that his Rose hadn't changed herself, that Donna was still with him, that his Rose wasn't... expecting a babe, their babe.

It gave him the chills sometimes, when he considered what life would have been like that very moment if everything hadn't happened exactly as it had. Like some self-sacrificing idiot, he would have sent Rose off to live in some other dimension with his metacrisis, completely disregarding the fact that his metacrisis would only be half-him, the other half that of a human woman. Would they have been happy? Most likely, but it wouldn't have been the same and Rose would have eventually realized that. Donna still would have been sent home without any memories of him, but Rose wouldn't have been there to comfort him through the ordeal. He wouldn't have demanded Rose wed him on Muraxid 1, she wouldn't be pregnant now, they wouldn't...

No, he couldn't think about it anymore or he'd be sick.

And... he still missed Jackie.

There. He'd finally thought the words. He missed Jackie Tyler. It'd been nearly a year to the day since he'd last spoken to her, his mother-in-law (as of five months ago), and boy, did he miss her. When he first met her- and how long ago did that seem, huh?- and then seen Rose minutes later, he never thought he'd live to see the day that he'd miss the Slapping Queen.

How wrong he'd been.

He probably wouldn't tell Rose for another two hundred years or so, but he had a picture of the three of them tucked away in the depths of his jacket. Sure, Rose had her old photo albums. They'd made sure to take a little trip into the past, exactly one day after Canary Wharf, to grab everything from Jackie's flat. Still. He had that one photo and he would likely never get rid of it.

"What're you thinkin' so hard 'bout?"

A warm finger smoothed the crease between his brows and he looked down at the sleepy woman below him.

"I was thinking of your mother."

"Why? Not turnin' into her, am I?"

"Good God, no. I was merely thinking about..." He could tell her. "I think I miss her. Sort of."

"Me, too, but she's happy now. Happier than she would've ever been here."

"That's true."

"And I'm happier than I ever would've been there."

"I know."

"Do you 'member when you first met her? Slapped ya for no real good reason."

"I got myself in trouble, but I maintain it was worth it. That was the first day you ever wrapped your legs around my face, remember? Nearly suffocated when we fell."

Her blush. Gods, that she could still blush after all their time together was a beautiful thing.

"Do you remember when I first did that for real?"

"Mmm. That was a good night."

"I still can't believe Mum didn't wake up," Rose mused. "And that we decided to finally go through with it while in the flat."

"Oh, she woke up," he murmured softly and Rose sat up and looked at him in surprise. "It's true. I thought she was gonna finally make good on her promise to cut off my dangly bits."

"You never told me that. What happened?"

"We talked. About love, my mistaken belief that I was sterile, whether being intimate would hurt you, children, how she didn't want you to know we'd talked, and that I'd take care of you until your final breath. And I..." He paused and kissed the corner of her mouth. "I think she gave us her blessing."

"Why do you say that?"

"She said you were too young to be having children _yet_ , if it were even possible _with me_ , and then told me to take care of you _until then_. I think that's as good of a blessing as I'd ever get from her. What do you think?"

Rose slowly smiled. "Yeah, I think that's about right. I wonder what made her change her mind. I kinda remember parts of that evening before we went to bed."

"Do you?"

"Mhmm. She was actin' irritated you'd be sleepin' in my room. Remember?"

"...Yes. That's odd. Perhaps I came to her in a dream," he joked. "Told her I'd take great care of you."

"That woulda been a nightmare for her, ya prat."

"Possibly. Still nice to think about."

"You're terrible."

He chuckled, reclined against their pillows, and pulled Rose onto his chest, his hand settling on her back as her slightly swollen belly pressed into his side. She'd just started to show and he still marvelled that this pregnancy was even possible. He had been incredibly shaken, speechless even, the day Rose had told him she was 'late.' The time had flown by since and he wasn't too sure if that was a good or a bad thing. He was eager to meet the child just as soon as it was 'done cooking,' as Jack had said the last time they'd visited, but another part of him thrilled to see her pregnant, to see his child growing within her womb and her belly stretching to accommodate the child's increasing size.

Was it uncouth to want to keep her pregnant? Would she think it an inappropriate 'joke' if he suggested they try to have a couple more as soon as possible?

Over half an hour had passed before a thought occurred to him and he craned his neck to see her.

"It didn't turn white."

"What?"

"Your mum's hair."

"Huh? What're you talking 'bout?"

"Long ago, in your old bedroom what feels like an eternity ago, we were discussing the parameters of our relationship and I asked if the things you were talking about were the kinds of things that would turn your mother's hair white if she caught us doing said things. Remember?" Rose nodded. "Well, the night Jackie caught us in bed and completely unclothed, her hair didn't turn white. I was so disappointed, though I was much more worried about my physical well-being at the time to comment upon it too much."

"Really?" Rose giggled. "That's hilarious. Did you actually expect her hair to turn white?"

"I'm ashamed to say I did hope for more of a physical reaction. Perhaps not whitened hair, but maybe a little nausea or-" Rose smacked his arm and he gasped. "Oi! Don't be turnin' into her now! I don't miss your mother that much."

She laughed and laughed and he eventually joined in, holding her close.

The End


End file.
